This weekend, private schools will play their final game of the postseason. The matchups have been decided as each of the state championship games will be held in Charlotte. We will take a closer look at each of the four games set to take place, starting with the 2A contest between Caldwell Academy and The Burlington School.
Arguably no one is playing better basketball than the Eagles right now, who just won their semifinal contest by over 30 points. As we’ve stated previously, they are easily one of the most talented teams in the state—regardless of classification. Their core of Jaylen Cross, Cole Cloer, King Kendrick, Ayden Johnson, and Neal Swindell could truly go toe-to-toe with any five-man grouping. They can truly hurt teams in so many different ways. Few lineups throughout the state have five guys who can all dismantle opponents. While things could unfold in several different ways, one could argue that Caldwell should want to play at breakneck speed and try to score an insanely high point total. Why? More possessions equal more scoring opportunities. Teams with an abundance of offensive firepower (like Caldwell) should want to put pressure on their opponents to score. The Eagles have scored 80+ points in 13 games, while the Spartans have only eclipsed that number on four occasions.
On the other side, The Burlington School knows that reputations are rendered meaningless once the basketball is rolled out. Their balanced group of Cam Flippen, Kaden Hammond, Jamyr Coleman, Drew Johnson, Asante Phillip, and Brayden Miles will need to be exceptional to overpower Caldwell. While each of those names has to be involved, it feels like Hammond will need to dominate for the Spartans to have the best possible chance to win. Stylistically, this group is going to want to slow things down and get into a slugfest—similar to their contest against Harrells Christian. If they can control the glass, protect the rim, and methodically run their offense, there’s truly no telling what could happen.